


I've Got You Under My Skin

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Reaper76 [54]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Body Horror, Emotional Hurt, Fighting, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Immortality, Longing for Death, Love/Hate, M/M, Memories, Minor Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Possessive Behavior, Promises, Science Experiments, Survivor Guilt, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 19:34:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: When their final fight ends in an unexpected way, Jack finds himself cursed with existence that he never wanted. An existence dependent on the very man who ended his life.





	I've Got You Under My Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this amazing artwork by my partner Fishlimbed for the R76 RBB https://fishlimbed.tumblr.com/post/167561121709/heres-my-entry-forthe-reaper76-rbb-hosted-by Please go and shower them with love.

   Soldier 76 didn’t let himself falter as he felt the security system begin scanning him, creeping under his skin as it tried to connect with his nanites to verify who he was and whether he had permission to be in the facility. He didn’t. However, he trusted that his nanites would confuse the system long enough for him to reach the control panel and switch if off, and if not, well… his fingers tightened around the comforting weight of his pulse rifle. The weapon might be archaic now, but it still did the job. Ignoring the prickling sensation spreading through his limbs as the scans pressed deeper and deeper under his skin, demanding his identity now that it had realised that there was no immediate response, he sprinted forward, activating his visor as he scanned the area for his target. Not for the first time he found himself missing Sombra, the hacker might have driven him up the wall nearly every time they had worked together, but at least she had known what she was doing, and she would have been in her element with all the new technologies that had been developed in the decades since her death.

   It was easy, too easy really, to push past the bubble of grief. Or was it loneliness? He found himself unable to distinguish between the two these days, the feelings always popping up when he allowed his thoughts to drift to all the people who had long since passed away. He rarely let his thoughts venture there these days, it was easier, and yet for all his efforts the memories and thoughts never faded completely. There were days when he couldn’t recall his own family’s faces, or what Bloomington had looked like back in his childhood, but Overwatch was a different matter. Every single face, every little mannerism… the acrid smell of McCree’s cigars that he had grumbled about more times than he could count, the cupboards full of peanut butter and Winston’s terrible habit of leaving jars in the most random places, Lena’s giggles as she darted in and out to fast for the eye to see…every little detail, both good and bad and there was plenty of both, were permanently etched into his memory and while he might try to convince himself that he wished that they weren’t, the mere idea of forgetting even a single detail left him with a dull ache in his chest.

   _Getting sentimental again you old fool?_ A mocking voice whispered, and he wasn’t sure if he was remembering all the times that Reaper had taunted him about clinging to the past, or whether it was his own jaded thoughts seeping in. Either way, it drew a growl to his lips as he shook his head, moving forward briskly as he tried to drive the thoughts and whispers from his mind.

_Keep moving. Keep fighting. Don’t think about what has been lost._

   Cautiously he moved out into a large atrium, feeling the scan intensifying as the system realised how far he had managed to penetrate without being identified. In the past, he would have already had to deal with guards, but many companies now relied solely on nanite technology to protect themselves and he shook his head in disapproval. It seemed as though the world still hadn’t learnt from the Omnic Crisis, and he wondered what they would do this time when the technology turned on them. There was no Overwatch to protect them anymore, and if he was honest, he wasn’t sure if he would answer the call this time. Still, for the time being, at least, it made his job easier.

   He was just turning his head to scan the other side of the room when his visor beeped, highlighting a high concentration of power coming from one of the side rooms and he grunted in satisfaction as he turned towards it. The itch of the scan was getting worse, starting to burn beneath his skin, and he knew that it wouldn’t be long before the system decided that he was a threat and tried to eradicate him and he sped up at that thought. When he’d been younger, he would probably have allowed the alarm to go off, just for the challenge, the thrill of the fight. Age might be immaterial to him now, but it had finally taught him the caution that Ana and Gabe had spent so long trying to drill into his head. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t stop the pang that came with the thought of those names, time failing to ease the sting of either loss.

   Entering the next room, he cast a quick glance at the displays, gaze lingering for a moment on the ones showing the distribution of power to the building, noting that the largest amounts were going to the basement level and feeling a prickle of unease. He had seen too many buildings that functioned like that, worked in too many buildings like that, his thoughts drifting to Blackwatch for a moment and the fallout that had followed. _Focus Jack_ , he flinched, Ana’s voice snapping through his mind and he whirled around stalking to the control panel, and when he reached it, he brought the pulse rifle down on the delicate wiring with far more force than necessary.

_Don’t think about it. Don’t think about them._

   Again, and again he brought the rifle down on the display, continuing long after the tingle of the scan had disappeared from his body, the nanites under his skin quietening down once more. It was only when the panel was little more than a lump of crumpled metal, his chest heaving from the exertion that he let up on the assault, irritated with himself for losing control like that. When he turned back to the other displays, he had to close his eyes for a moment, because for a split second he had perfectly imagined Ana standing there, staring at him the same disapproving expression that had once been enough to send him and Gabe running for the hills without a single word being spoken. _Don’t think about it._

   It didn’t take him long to recover from the exertion, breathing quickly settling back into a regular pattern, almost too quickly. His enhanced body which had begun to deteriorate with age during the Recall could now put SEP to shame as the nanites constantly whirred under his skin and he hated it. Hated the burning ache that never seemed to fade as his body constantly shifted and rebuilt itself, fighting the pull of age, healing any damage he took, keeping him alive when he should have been long dead.

   Nanite technology which had been so new, so experimental back when Angela had first begun to delve into the field had come a long way, it’s use so widespread now that it had permeated all levels of society. Most, if not all the population, both human and Omnic had some kind of nanites in their body now, some just for the purpose of identification, an inbuilt passport, that gave all kinds of information on the individual as well as permissions to enter certain areas. Nanites had also become widely used in medicine, and he wondered if Angela would have approved, possibly…at least where they were used to fight illnesses and injuries that were beyond standard medicine, but it was becoming more and more common for them to be used solely for increasing longevity, and whilst she had dabbled in that field so that she could fight for as long as possible, he knew that she had never wanted immortality.

   However, it was the other use that worried him, and the reason why he was here. As with any other form of technology it had only been a matter of time before nanites became weaponised, and whilst the weaponry being developed was worrying on its own, it was the nanites that were being used to strengthen soldiers, the new form of SEP that left Soldier 76 feeling sick to the pit of his stomach. Because while SEP had been controversial at the time at least, it had left them human...but these new enhancements…his hands curled into fists. _They’re not making soldiers, they’re creating monsters, like Reaper. Like me._

   No, that wasn’t quite right, because while the new enhancements left them less than human, it was nothing like what had been done to him. It was why the system hadn’t known what to do with him, because his nanites were different than those produced en-masse in this day and age, and he could feel them heating up as he gripped his arm. Wishing that he could squeeze hard enough to force them out of his body, wishing that he could be free of them. It had been years, decades, and he still wasn’t used to the feel of them. It didn’t help that he couldn’t even really call them his, because despite how long they had existed within his body, they still belonged to the man who had given them to him. Like Jack, they belonged to the Reaper, even as they burned under his skin working to keep a dead man alive.

_It was over._

_Jack hadn’t expected the peaceful feeling that had fallen over him at that realisation as he blinked up at the sky, visor cracked, allowing him to see the blue sky stretching out above him with his own eyes. The view was ruined, partially obscured by the smoke rising from the base and with difficulty he shifted his head to let him view the damage that had been done to the Watchpoint. It was bad, and he felt a pang of grief at the loss of yet another home, although at least time he knew that everyone was safe, having ordered them away himself when he had realised that Reaper was coming with the intention of finishing things for good this time. They hadn’t gone without a fight, but Talon had used Reaper’s attack to launch their own multipronged attack on several key peace-keeping bodies and political figures, and in the end, they’d had no choice but to bow to his wishes._

_They were safe, and Overwatch would continue without him…just as it should._

_In the past, it wouldn’t have been enough, not with his own failure prowling towards him, heavy boots crunching on the debris as Reaper moved towards him. But this time… this time he had entered the fight without any expectation of winning. Angela had yet to find a way to stop the nanites that kept the Reaper alive, and he knew from their previous encounters that he could damage the other man, he couldn’t destroy him. His whole stand here had been futile, but it had also served its purpose, keeping Reaper from hurting his friends and finally letting Gabriel get the revenge he’d been seeking for so long, the only thing Jack had left to give him._

_“Get up Jack.” The snarled command broke through his thoughts, dragging him sharply back into the present and Jack tilted his head up, blinking as he realised that he had missed Reaper reaching his side. He couldn’t tell what the other was thinking, the empty eyes glaring down at him, shotguns aimed directly at his chest, although the clawed fingers weren’t currently on the triggers._

_“…not this time,” Jack whispered, unprepared for the angry growl that greeted his words, Reaper’s form shifting and threatening to disintegrate for a moment._

_“GET UP!” Jack shook his head, the motion sending pain lancing through his body and he closed his eyes, riding out the wave of pain. Enhancements could only go so far, and SEP’s effects had been fading for months now although he had done his best to hide it, and he knew that he wasn’t coming out of this, and he was fine with that. He should’ve died in Zurich, he should’ve… he was dragged forcefully from his thoughts once more by the sound of metal hitting the ground, and movement, before clawed hands grasped the front of his jacket, dragging him into a semi-upright position and drawing a whimper from him as his wounds were jostled. “I said, get up_

_Jack.”_

_“…can’t,” Jack managed to reply, coaxing his eyes open, startled to find that Reaper had discarded his mask along with his weapons, allowing him to see the ruined, constantly shifting features that lay beneath it. Gabriel. It was a sight that never failed to take his breath away or to stir up the feelings that he had never truly managed to bury because like this it was impossible to ignore the fact that this was still Gabriel. He ached to reach up and touch those scarred cheeks, especially as he took in the mixed emotions in the crimson eyes that were staring at him with something akin to desperation, but he lacked the strength to even do that anymore. “It’s over… Gabriel.”_

_Gabriel, not Reaper. It had been a long time since he had let himself make the distinction, it had been easier to just see the Reaper, but right now it was impossible, especially as pain flashed across the ruined features as the meaning of Jack’s words hit home. “No.” He sounded more like Gabriel as he whispered his denial, sounding like the man who had spent long nights pleading with him to stay during SEP when it had seemed like each successive reaction to the treatments might steal him away. “No! Jack!” His eyes must’ve slipped shut of their own accord, because they shot open at the shout, and this time it was the Gabriel who had disobeyed a direct order to crawl out to him and drag him to safety after Jack had run recklessly into an Omnic ambush._

_“Ga…” His voice wouldn’t work now, his vision blurring with tears, the peaceful feeling dissipating as he realised that there was still more that he wanted to say. It was too late though, and he could feel his eyes slipping shut again and didn’t fight it, even as Gabriel’s hands tightened on his front, shaking him as though it would be enough to keep him there with him. “JACK!” Now he sounded like he the day that Zurich had exploded around them, the fury disappearing and giving way to terror as he realised what was happening, hand outstretched as they had reached for each other as their world went up in flames, and just like then, Jack couldn’t answer him._

_I’m sorry…_

   That was the one memory that the Soldier wished he could forget above all others because he had been ready to die that day, prepared to leave Gabriel behind and accept his fate even when he had realised that their things that would be left unspoken. And he had...technically he had been dead for almost three days before Reaper had managed to infuse him with enough of his nanites to force him back to life. A shudder worked its way through him as he remembered waking up, his entire body feeling as though it was on fire as the nanites forced dead tissue back to life and reignited nerves. Remembering how he had writhed and wailed on the narrow bed, fighting the process every inch of the way, wanting nothing more than to return to the peaceful oblivion of death.

He hadn’t been allowed that release.

*

   Every time his body had threatened to fall apart, to reject the nanites, Reaper had been there, claws rending his skin, providing more openings for the nanites to seep into his body. At times it had got to the point where Jack no longer knew where he ended and Reaper began.  

   Drawing in a shuddering breath he put a lid on those thoughts, knowing from painful experience that it was pointless to dwell on them. There was no undoing what had been done, no changing the fact that even now his body, his very existence was dependent on Reaper. That knowledge was harder to push to the back of his mind that the memories of his friends were, constantly simmering in the back of his mind as the nanites shifted and stirred.

   With difficulty, he pulled himself back to the present and moved back to the other displays, dimmed now as they switched over to a separate backup generator. Once again missing Sombra as he fumbled in his pocket for the stick that contained what remained of Athena’s program, a tiny remnant of the A.I that had once been the cutting edge of technology. She was the only thing that made missions like this possible, and he knew that it wouldn’t be much longer before she was completely useless against the new systems. It was a worry for the future, as the screen immediately turned blue as he plugged her into the system, feeling a pang of nostalgia as she flashed up on screen.

“Find me the blueprints of this building, and any records of activities on the lower basement level,” he ordered, missing the days when she would have answered him, what remained of her program was enough to obey commands and hack into the systems and relay the information on screen, but not to communicate directly.

   It was hard to be patient as she worked, and he took to pacing across the floor, absently checking his rifle as he listened to the systematic beeping and whirring from behind him. Idly he wondered where Reaper was right now, it had been months since he had seen the other man, having ignored the demand for a meet up back in April, although he had been surprised that Reaper hadn’t just tracked him down. After all, he didn’t have a good track record of honouring Jack’s wishes these days, and he was irritated to realise that there was a trace of worry in that thought, even though he knew that if anything had happened to Reaper, then his body would have already started to fail him.

   It was a relief when Athena beeped loudly to attract his attention, and he turned eagerly, scanning the blueprints that she had pulled up on the screen, committing to memory the routes down to the basement and any possible escape routes. He had done this for too long not to expect trouble lower down in the building, although this wouldn’t be the first research company that he had come across that had foolishly put all their faith in the nanite scans. “Next,” he grunted once he was confident that he had the map memorised, and the screen flickered for a moment, file names flicking up in the corner too quickly for him to read before one finally opened.

   A low curse slipped out before he could stop it as image after image flashed up on the screen. There were vats, ones that reminded him painfully of the one that had been used to save Genji when he had first been rescued, but rather than the viscous fluid that had kept him alive as they worked, these vats were filled with tubes connected to their occupants’ bodies…their fully conscious bodies he realised with growing horror, as Athena pulled up several close-up shots, images that let him see their expressions were contorted with pain and terror. Images that let him see the dark swirl of nanites moving through the tubes.

   He had them, but there was no comfort from their knowledge because he knew that it was too late for the men and women in those pictures and goodness knows how many poor souls had followed them, and his pulse rifle creaked in protest as his grip tightened. Too late. Always too late, he thought bitterly, but at least he could stop it now, could stop anyone else becoming like him. “Save those images, and any files you deem useful.” It was dangerous ordering that, this Athena was less capable than her predecessor, and it wouldn’t be the first time that he had lost essential data, but it was the best he had right now, and he waited impatiently as she obeyed, practically snatching the stick back the moment it glowed blue to show that his request was compete.

   Making sure she was secure in his pocket once more he took the butt of his rifle to the computers and displays, knowing that it wouldn’t destroy the data, but hoping to at least hinder them some more. He left the room in ruins, slipping out of the room and heading towards the stairs at a run. There had been no alarm, no sign that anyone had realised that the system had been deactivated, but he wasn’t naïve enough to think that would be it, not after the images that Athena had pulled up.

**

   He was glad of his visor as he reached the lower levels as it appeared that his efforts had damaged the power supply more than he’d thought, the corridors lit only by narrow strips of light at the base of the walls, barely enough to see by and he found his fingers tightening convulsively on his gun. His nanites were stirring again, growing restless beneath his skin as he moved forward, responding to a threat that he couldn’t see and he slowed, scanning every inch of the corridor, half expecting to see Reaper materialising in front of him.

“Come out,” he snarled under his breath, waiting for the taunting, grating laugh that usually greeted him, but there was only silence beyond the heavy tread of his feet. It didn’t make him feel better. As much as he didn’t want to see Reaper, he was a threat that the Solider knew as well as he knew himself. Or not he amended, glancing down at his hands as he felt the nanites reaching a frenzy beneath his skin, because the Gabriel he had loved would never have sentenced him to this kind of existence. _Even if it was what he had deserved…_

   Despite his wandering thoughts, he had made his way unerringly to the stairs that would lead him down to the basement level, and he forced himself to focus on the present, on what he could change rather than what had been snatched out of his hands that day in Gibraltar…or rather Zurich. Shaking his head to clear away the unwelcome thoughts, he found himself cursing as he spied the thick, metal door blocking his path and more concerning the lock. Reaching for his visor he tapped it until it brought up the display he wanted, scanning the lock which was clearly drawing its power from elsewhere as the entire display was lit up, and breathing a sigh of relief as he realised that while troublesome it wasn’t dependent on nanite identification.

   Switching his visor back to normal he rooted in his pocket again, bringing out the stick as he stepped forward, feeling along the edge of the display until he found the port and plugging it in, praying that it wouldn’t be beyond Athena’s abilities. A fear that he thought had come true as it took longer than usual for her to light up, the display of oranges and yellows eventually shifting to blue as she took control. It was another pointed reminder that she belonged to a different age, like him, and that unlike him there was only so long that she was going to be able to keep going. Steeling himself against the thought of another loss, hating the fact that he had been reduced to a state where the remnant of the AI was the closest he had to a friend.

“Athena, get me inside…” He began tersely, voice strained as his emotions threatened to get the better of him, only to freeze, words trailing off as he caught the slightest hint of movement behind him, cursing himself for letting his guard down. “Open the door, Athena!” He barked, knowing that without the command she could do nothing, not even waiting for the affirmative beep before he was whirling, rifle already up and opening fire.

Guards.

   For half a second he faltered as his visor lit up, highlighting multiple targets before his eyes narrowed as he realised that they moved far quicker than they should, although the display pinged to tell him that he had hit more than one in the initial onslaught. Falling back half a step, he studied their movements, something unpleasant curling in the pit of his stomach as he was abruptly reminded of the SEP training room when they had first been allowed to test out the completed enhancements. They had moved like these men, streaks of motion with little control, and he grimaced, neatly side-stepping one who’d tried to charge and pin him, the man unable to stop in time to avoid the wall, falling in a dazed heap from the impact.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured before he launched himself forwards into their midst, wondering if they even fully comprehended what had been done to them. Had they volunteered? Been chosen? Coerced? He didn’t know, and he didn’t have the chance to ask, because whether or not the change had been voluntary there was no hesitation in their attacks, and he found himself having to fight with a focus that he hadn’t used in years.

The pulse rifle was a comforting weight in his arms, the familiar scent of pulse munitions filling the air, allowing him to forget for a moment that he was fighting the very people he had wanted to protect. A figure loomed, too close for him to fire and he twisted, a move that Gabe had taught him on the training mats as they adapted to their new bodies, turning the rifle and bringing it down sharply on his assailants’ collarbone, not needing the anguished shout to know that it had shattered under the impact. Knocking them back, he whirled to meet another attack, grunting as a sharp blade sank through a gap in his body armour, feeling it twist and wrench free as he jerked backwards, feeling blood trickling from the wound.

  He didn’t bother checking the damage, already feeling his nanites getting to work to fix the wound up, instead firing and downing the guard that had caught him. There was a momentary hesitation, as though they had expected him to go down with a wound like that, and he could feel the tension in the air as it dawned on them that he was more like them than they had initially thought. He pitied them for thinking that, knowing that even with the nanites coursing through their bodies they were no match for him. It was there in the too quick movements, the reckless abandon of their attacks as they attacked en-masse trying to overwhelm him in one swift attack, and in the blood, he could still see oozing from the wounds he had inflicted…their enhancements were new, not yet fully attuned with their bodies.

  A wild blow caught him by surprise, shattering the lower part of his mask, the shards slicing his cheek as they were torn away, the impact sending him stumbling back. There was blood on his lips as he steadied himself and straightened, relieved that his visor display was unaffected, but stiffening as he realised that the guards had frozen, staring at him with horrified expressions and he fought back a sigh. He knew what they saw, the scars of too many battles, the pale skin that shifted and rolled, the nanites fighting to keep his dead body alive, and he could already feel them moving to knit his bloodied cheek back together.

“Monster!” The Solider ignored the hissed words, letting them wash over him. There had been a time when he would have faltered at the words, at the reminder that he was less than human now. It still hurt, a deep wound that would never fully heal, but he could ignore it and ignore it he did as he barrelled into the guard that had spoken, crushing his head against the wall.

   Their focus was gone, fear setting in as they finally realised they were facing something far more dangerous than they had expected, and he knew they were finished the moment he let his form disintegrate, not entirely smoke, but not quite solid, the change sending them stumbling back in terror. Darting forward, he was little more than a steak of white as he darted through their midst, and it was almost pitifully easy for him to finish the last of them off, leaving them in crumpled heaps on the floor as he slowly solidified once more before turning to consider them. He wasn’t sure if their nanites were enough to keep them alive if they were as cursed as he was, and he couldn’t bring himself to try. Whether they realised it or not they had already lost too much of themselves, and they were no threat to him now as he straightened, checking himself over for damage, and trying to ignore the prickle of something unpleasantly close to triumph as he took in the devastation he had caused.

_See what you can do now Jackie? This power is ours alone, you should enjoy it…_

  He shuddered, remembering Reaper’s wild grin when he had found him the first time he had fully given himself over to his nanites during a fight. He hadn’t been able to remember much of that fight, just the sensation of being something more and less than human, the thrill of realising that his days of barely scraping through fights as his SEP enhancements faded were over. It had only been when he had seen Reaper clearing up his mess, seeking out the lingering remnants of life and snuffing them out that he had realised what he had done. What he was…and what he had the potential to be. It had been that day that he had broken away from Reaper, cutting all ties as best he could, refusing to give in to the nanites that burned beneath his skin. And yet… he looked around once more, nausea rising as he realised that for a moment at least he had enjoyed the thrill of the fight, the knowledge that even those enhanced with nanites were still no match for him.

_Monster. I am a monster, I should…_

“Access Granted.” The sudden voice made him tense, lifting his head to look at the gun, blinking as he remembered that Athena had been working away, the display now showing a sea of green before the metal door opened with a dull clang.

   He hesitated for a moment, glancing at the crumpled figures before forcing himself to keep moving. It was too late to help them, the change done if not complete, he just hoped that this fight and the realisation that there were always worse things out there would be enough to stop them following this path any further. That it would stop them becoming like Reaper…like him… Please, he pleaded silently as he moved past them, focused on his goal once more. Don’t become monsters like us.

**

 He was uneasy as he moved down the stairs, Athena safely stored in his pocket once more, wondering what other unpleasant surprises might be waiting on the lower level. However, the sterile white corridor that greeted him at the bottom was empty and well-lit, confirming his suspicions that there must be another power source after the lock had still been working. It didn’t settle his nerves, and his fingers built a constant, nearly silent pattern against his gun as he inched forward, the lack of doors doing little to ease his tension. As the corridor wound around several corners, he couldn’t help but think back to the long corridor they’d had to walk down for each treatment during SEP. Every candidate unanimously referring to it as hell, as they had either been walking down it to receive another injection or set of tablets or stumbling back, their bodies already trying to reject the latest treatment.

   The similarities left an unpleasant taste in his mouth, and he was almost relieved when he finally turned a corner and came upon a row of doors. Taking a deep breath and forcing thoughts of SEP to the back of his mind he moved to the first door, checking his gun was ready as he reached out

and eased the door open, tensing when lights immediately flooded the room beyond, shoulders slumping when he peered inside and realised that it was little more than a storeroom. Still, he didn’t miss the boxes of old files stored in the corners, the piles of what looked suspiciously like empty body bags in the corner and he decided to come back if he didn’t find anything else, closing the door behind him before moving onto the next one.

   The next few rooms were offices, but he ignored them for now, knowing from experience that the kind of information he was looking for rarely left the lab. Still, he noted anything that might potentially be useful to come back to if he got the time, hating how mundane and ordinary the rooms looked, from little plants on desks to artwork done by the owners’ children pinned on the wall. Somewhere down here they were playing God with people’s bodies, with their lives, and yet in these rooms, they were pretending that they were ordinary people. The images from the lab played through his mind, and he itched to tear the rooms apart, to shatter the façade, and it was harder than he wanted to admit to move on without giving in to the temptation.

   He almost wished he had as he turned another corner in search of the next door, only to find himself confronted by double, metal doors, sealed with multiple locks. _Found it._ He didn’t bother reaching for Athena this time, recognising several nanite readers in the locks and guessing that the others would be beyond her current capabilities as well, grimacing as he stared at them. He didn’t want to see what lay behind these doors, knowing that it would be worse than what he could derive from the security photos, but he also knew that turning back was out of the question, not now. Taking a step back he lifted his rifle, lining up his shot and closing his eyes to protect himself as he switched to Helix rockets and fired, feeling the nanites surging to the surface to protect him from the backlash, a rush of warmth washing over him as he stumbled back.

  When he opened his eyes, it was too find the doors still intact, but he wasn’t surprised, instead focusing on the locks which were now a crushed mess of metal and wires, although the odd light still flashed here and there. Yet it was enough. Setting the rifle on the ground he took a step forward and focused, the constant ache from the nanites roaring to life as he let himself go. Even after all these years he wasn’t used to the sensation, and he had to force himself to continue, his body giving way to smoke, although the pain remained and he swirled uneasily in place as he tried to regain his focus. There had been a time when he had wanted to know what it felt like for Reaper…for Gabriel when he did this, now he wished that he had never got the answer because the truth was that it was agony.

   Before the pain could become too much, he shot forwards, forcing himself through the crack in the door, hissing as he felt the parts of the security system that had survived the helix rockets trying to stop him, reacting to the foreign nanites. It wasn’t enough to stop him though, and a few seconds he was emerging in the room beyond, slowly gathering himself back together, his nanites fighting him every inch of the way as it was easier to keep him alive like this. Sometimes he wished that he could let them have his way and remain in this state, and let the last remnants of Jack Morrison die completely, he had even tried it once, letting himself drift aimlessly. In the end, duty had called him back, the need to keep making amends for his mistakes, for the fact that he lived when everyone else has long since passed away, and so it was now, his body slowly reforming on the other sides of the door.

   He was still half-and-half, mist rising from his skin as the nanites finished pulling him back together, but he was already moving to the panel that controlled the door. It was a matter of seconds to override the locks from the inside, the doors creeping open, creaking and groaning as the movement caused the damage bits to tear further and fall away. By the time they were fully open he was solid once more, striding forward to retrieve his gun. It was the one and only thing he envied about Reaper because despite his best efforts to learn how he had never learnt to make solid constructs and had to move his gun the normal way. Once the familiar weight was back in his arms, he turned and let himself take in the room beyond, the knot in his stomach curling tighter as he realised he had found what he was looking forward as lights sprang on belatedly in response to the open door.

   There were multiple rows of the Vats that he had seen in the security footage, and he swallowed, hesitating before moving forward, fearing what horrors he might find. He could see elements of Angela’s design in the structures, remembering her pouring over the plans with Torbjörn, but that had been with the intention of helping…this…he had reached the first Vat, forcing himself to look, only to frown as he realised that it was empty, the tubes waiting for their next victim. It was the same with the next and the next, and he sped up, eyes darting frantically from one side to the next. Had they known he was coming? Had they abandoned the research? Or were they just between experiments?

   He had just started to let himself believe that there was no one here, when he reached the last Vat and immediately froze, bile rising. A young woman, who looked to be even younger than Lena had when she had first joined Overwatch was suspended in the middle, numerous tubes and wires connected to her torso, and he didn’t need the flashing lights and the build-up of nanites in the tubes to know that she was gone. He swallowed convulsively as he stared at her. It was rare for death to affect him these days, he had seen too much, caused too much, lost too much…but this was different because he could have been her, both during SEP and when Reaper had brought him back. _At least she’s free of this curse,_ a quiet voice pointed out at the back of his mind, and he growled, hating the spike of envy that had accompanied the thought.

   Angry. Unsure whether he was angrier at himself for thinking like that, the situation, or the oddly peaceful expression on her pale features he strode forward, bringing the butt of his rifle down on the glass, it cracked but didn’t break. He hit again and again, until finally the glass shattered beneath the blows, not even flinching as several shards caught his exposed face, and he used the rifle to widen the break until he could climb through. Setting his gun aside he set to work releasing her from her prison, crushing the nanites in the tubes so that they couldn’t be used on anyone else before gently removing them from her skin.

   Freeing her from the support that had been keeping her body upright he gathered her in his arms, flinching for the first time because she was tiny in his arms, fragile and for a moment all he could see was Lena the day he had carried her away from her final mission. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, not sure which of them he was apologising to. He had been too late on both occasions, and his arms tightened on the girl, apologising without words this time as he carefully carried her out of the Vat. He couldn’t take her with him. Couldn’t give her a proper burial, but at least she wouldn’t remain a test subject, and he glanced around before moving to lay her against the shelter of the far wall. His hands trembling as he laid her out as neatly and gently as possible, fingers lingering on her arms as he noted for the first time signs of a struggle. She had fought them, fought what was being done to them and he closed his eyes…

_I’m sorry I was too late._

   He took several deep breaths, and when he felt steadier, he shrugged out of his coat, retrieving Athena before carefully draping it over her. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something. _It seems to be all I can ever give them_ , he thought bitterly, remembering the day that he had lost his ancient 76 jacket, laying it over McCree’s bloodied features before being forced to flee as the Talon forces closed in on him.

   With an anguished noise, the present and the past whirling together in his thoughts he staggered to his feet, glancing around with wild eyes. _Too late, always too late._

   He didn’t remember retrieving his gun, didn’t remember making a conscious decision about what he was going to do, he just knew that he had to stop this. Had to make sure that he wasn’t too late again. Blinded by anger, guilt, grief and that spike of envy that he still hadn’t fully buried he worked his way through the lab, destroying every piece of equipment that he could find, making sure that they would have to start from scratch. In the back of the lab, he found the storage containers where the nanites were kept at a low temperature to prevent themselves activating themselves. Those he destroyed with Helix rockets, firing over and over, even long after there was nothing left to aim at and in the back of his mind, he knew that he was imaging that they were his nanites.

   Eventually, there was nothing left for him to tear apart and he came to a halt, chest heaving, shuddering as he tried to calm himself. It was hard to reign in his anger though because the world never seemed to learn, never seemed to change, and not for the first time he wondered why he kept fighting, why he kept trying to stop them. His gaze drifted back to the covered figure at the end of the room and sighed, shoulders slumping, because he already knew the answer. Knew that he kept going for the hope that he could just save one more person, just one more. _You can’t save everyone, Jack,_ Gabe had been the first one to tell him that, but not the last, and it had been Reaper, leaning against his back, absorbing his sobs the day that Ana had died, who had given him the push to keep going when he had whispered in his ear. _See Jack, you can’t save anyone._

   Pulling his eyes away from his latest failure he turned, squaring his shoulders, burying the pain as best he could. The one thing that had been left untouched in his destructive crusade was the main computer, and that was where he headed now, Athena in hand. He wasn’t sure if there would be anything useful, especially given the barren state of the lab, but the fact that it had still be guarded made him hope that there was something as he plugged her in. “Take all information you can find,” he ordered, not daring to trust her limited abilities this time, knowing that he couldn’t afford to miss the slightest detail if he wanted to put a stop to this. Once she was lit up and working away, he moved away, heading back to the offices and storeroom that he had ignored before, more to keep himself busy than for any real hope of finding anything useful.

   As expected the offices provided little, all important information was kept in the lab, although he did make a note of any research companies and suppliers that they were in contact with, adding it to his lengthy list of people to investigate.

   However, in the storeroom, ignoring the empty body bags as best he could as he worked his way through the boxes of files he had spotted earlier he hit pay dirt. He had almost missed the file, it was a narrow, aged-looking folder tucked in amongst several others that held nothing but basic nanites designs that even Jack could understand from the times he had spoken with Angela about what had been done to Reaper. Still, experience had taught him to be thorough, and he flicked through it anyway, only to freeze, eyes zooming in as he spied Gabriel’s name…his real name… on the third sheet in. He nearly tore the paper in his rush to pull it out, feeling a pang at seeing the name and hastily forcing it down, scanning the document. At first, it seemed to be nothing more than a summary about the former Blackwatch commander and what had been done to him. The information that Gabriel and Reaper were one on the same had been made public a few months after Jack had been forced back to life, and he still shivered when he remembered how his own nanites had seemed to burn with Reaper’s fury when he found out.

   As he continued reading though, a sickening feeling began to take hold, because there was other information here. Information that no-one but he and Reaper should know. The full extent of their abilities, the constant pain, the battle to reform after dissolving into smoke…it was all here and in so much detail, and then... he made no effort to muffle his curse as he flipped the next page and found himself staring at several photos of Reaper standing in the same lab that he had just destroyed. _What the hell is he playing at?_ They very rarely worked together these days and even more seldom shared information, but this… he was trembling as he turned the next page. Cursing up a storm as he found detailed diagrams of their nanites, notations around the diagrams pointing out the differences with current nanites technology and it felt like he’d punched in the stomach, because the only way they could know this was if Reaper had given them samples, because the information on their nanites had died with Angela.

_What are you doing?_

  He got his answer two pages later, ice replacing the sickening feeling as he found multiple experiments listed, his trembling intensifying as he scanned the records. _Attempts to destroy the advanced nanites provided by R have so far been unsuccessful,_ Soldier paused, reading the words and trying not to let the hope that had formed at those words blossom any further, knowing that if it were that simple to destroy them, then he would have already done it himself. _Nanites recover at an accelerated rate, the initial attack must overwhelm these defences. The latest experiment showed an almost negligible decline in the number of nanites present in the sample._ The rest of the document was the same, all the experiments ending in failure, and the Soldier sat perfectly still when he reached the final page which merely held a schedule for future experiments.

They’re trying to destroy our nanites.

They’re trying to find a way to kill monsters like us…

And Reaper is helping?

   He honestly had no idea what to make of that realisation, because whenever he had spoken about dying, pleading with Reaper to let him go, he had been met with angry denials. At some point, he had taken that to mean that Reaper liked this existence and wanted it to continue, had he been wrong? Or had Reaper provided the samples for another reason and it was backfiring on them? Either way, there was burning anger at the realisation that all of this had been done without his knowledge, as though it wouldn’t affect him, and worse, it meant that Reaper knew what had been happening here. Knew about the experiments, about the people losing their lives and their humanity to the very technology that had destroyed them, and he snarled under his breath, knowing that he was going to have to hunt down the other man and demand answers.

   For now, though he took the file and rose to his feet, heading back to the lab to collect Athena and hoping that she would have found some more information for him because he knew that Reaper would try and run rings around him even if he had the evidence in his hands. _Damn you, Reaper_ , he cursed silently as re-entered the lab, not letting himself look across at the still figure in the corner as he made a beeline for the computer where Athena was still flashing blue, indicating she was still at work. “Hurry up,” he ordered gruffly, wanting nothing more than to get away from this place now.

   The minutes ticked by, the silence getting to him as he paced anxiously, his nanites growing restless beneath his skin, mist beginning to curl around him as their agitation grew. He almost jumped out of his skin when Athena finally beeped to signal that she was done, and he scolded himself for being paranoid as he retrieved her, just in time for the screen in front of him to shatter as something hit it. The visor shielded his eyes from the debris, and he dropped, shoving her into his pocket, and turning to take in the new threat.

   A group of eight guards were stood between him and the door, dressed in the same uniform as the ones he’d fought before and he sighed before rising to his feet. “Get out of my way,” he growled, not wanting to fight them, fearing that he would lose himself in the fight again, only to pause as he realised that unlike the others they were armed with rifles that reminded him painfully of Ana’s biotic rifle. It wouldn’t be the first time he had encountered a company that used weaponised drugs against intruders, allowing them to be kept alive and contained, often to then be used in research against their will, but he pitied these men for thinking they would work against him. At most they might slow him down enough to take a few extra blows, but his nanites would be working through it, and in the end, it would finish the same.

   There was no movement and realising they weren’t going to move voluntarily he charged, not bothering with caution this time. He felt several shots hitting him, impressed to feel that they were capable of penetrating his body armour as he felt needles scratching his skin, but he didn’t falter, slamming into them with a growl.

   The next few minutes were a blur of movement as he tore through them. At some point he had run out of ammunition, resorting to using his rifle as a blunt weapon. He was hit several more times, snarling as he knocked the darts away but not before the needles had pierced him, and yet there was no sluggishness, nothing for his nanites to fight and he frowned, wondering if they had just been bluffing. It didn’t matter, as a few seconds later he had the last of the guards pinned against the ground beneath his foot, the butt of his rifle pressing against the man’s throat. “What were you shooting at me?” He demanded, unsurprised when his question was met with a sullen glare before the man succumbed to his injuries, releasing him with a curse and taking a step back so that he could take stock of himself.

   He ached all over, not just the usual pain from the constant shifting and repairing of his body, but the dull, once-satisfying ache from a well-fought battle. More than one blow had hit home, and when he reached up he was unsurprised to find blood on his face from a gash on his cheek and… he winced, catching his split lip as he explored for more damage. They had clearly been enhanced for longer than the others, and he wondered whether it was wise to leave them alive, after all, they would only get stronger and more disciplined. He was contemplating what to do when it dawned on him that the pain wasn’t fading like it usually would…in fact his nanites, they were still active, but they weren’t at work repairing the damage, and he frowned, reaching for his face once more, stunned to realise that he was still bleeding. Usually, such minor wounds would already be dealt with, so what was….

  His eyes shot to the spent darts littering the floor, taking one unsteady step towards them before he was falling, barely aware of hitting the ground as a scream was torn from his lips. It hurt. It burnt. He was barely aware of the fact that he was writhing on the ground, clawing at every inch of his body as though that would make it stop. It reminded him of those first days when Reaper had fought to keep him alive, the nanites burning him as they worked to keep his body functioning, but this was worse, a thousand times worse. It felt like flames and needles were tearing every inch of his body apart, and the pain was reverberating through his nanites which were convulsing beneath his skin and overwhelmed by the pain it took him a moment to realise that they were literally coming apart and taking him with them.

   Gasping, shuddering he tried to force himself up, knowing that he couldn’t stay here, not like this. However, his body wouldn’t couldn’t respond, and as he pushed weakly at the ground, he felt himself dissolve, not piece by piece like normal, but all at once, as though someone had struck him and he had shattered under the impact.

   Even in this state, there was no relief from the pain, and he shrieked, writhing, swirling in circles as he tried to escape it. Run, Jack. He wasn’t sure whether the thought came from himself, or whether he was remembering a different time, but he found himself obeying, blindly shooting towards the exit. He had no idea where he was going, no idea if he could even make it, his world narrowing down to the pain engulfing him and the sensation that he was still falling apart, as

though there was more of him to disappear, his nanites adding their own shrieks to his.

_Is this it? Am I finally going to die?_

**

   He had no idea how long had been fleeing or how far he had gone. There were fleeting impressions of familiar places, safe-houses that he had set up over the years, but he couldn’t remember going there, unsure if he was remembering distant events and muddling then with the present. The pain was never-ending, his voice long since gone, his shrieks confined to the privacy of his mind as he finally came to a halt, unable to take anymore as he slammed into a wall.

 _I’m going to die here,_ the thought penetrated the haze that had settled over his thoughts, and he swirled and settled into place, feeling his nanites trying to pull him into some semblance of solidity. He fought them, knowing that they were fighting to survive for their own sake, not his. He had felt them calling for Reaper as he fled, and it was why he had pushed himself to travel so far because he was dying…he knew it, just as he had known it that day in Gibraltar. He was dying, and gods did he want to. Not just to escape the pain, but to escape this existence…to escape Reaper, and he closed his eyes, willing whatever was tearing him apart to speed up, to finish it, even as he felt his nanites efforts intensifying as they realised that he was giving up. He wanted to plead with them, to beg with them to let him go, but he didn’t have the strength, his thoughts beginning to drift.

  He wondered if he’d find that peaceful oblivion again, but somehow, he doubted it. He didn’t deserve it, although there was a pang at the thought that he wouldn’t get to see the others again… Ana, Jesse, Lena… they were all there and oh how he longed to see them again if only to apologise. There was no one left to mourn him, no one left to care if he died here, he had made sure of that. Once the last of the old crowd had gone, he had been unable to bring himself to grow close to anyone, fearing the future loss, knowing that if Reaper had his way he would outlive them as well.

  The pain was growing more distant now as he slipped closer and closer to the darkness, and he distantly felt his lips curling into a sad smile. Finally, he was going to be free…his body was fading again, disintegrating around him, only this time it wasn’t forming smoke but fading, disappearing from existence, and he welcomed it. Welcomed the fact that it was finally going to be over, cold metal gripped his cheeks, piercing his skin and the pain, so sharp against the fading agony forced his eyes open again, and he flinched as he found himself staring into the familiar dark eyes of the skull mask.

“No….” It was barely a breath of sound, but it had clearly been enough because the grip on his cheeks tightened, a low snarl greeting him as he looked away.

“Look at me, Jack.” Even if he had wanted to disobey he couldn’t, his nanites leaning towards Reaper now that he was so close, sensing their salvation and he reluctantly lifted his eyes to Reaper once more. As always there was a dull ache when he saw the other man, a deep longing that he knew was never going to go away no matter what either of them, what sins were committed and he hated it. _Leave me alone. Let me die,_ he wanted to say, but his voice wouldn’t work, more and more of his body fading away and he had a feeling that it was only Reaper’s presence and the painful grip on his face that was holding him in the here and now and he weakly tried to pull away, chasing his escape.

   Reaper didn’t let him go, not that he had expected him too. It wasn’t the first time he had been injured badly enough to require help, nor the first time that Reaper had ignored his wishes and he flinched as he felt one of the claws slipping, slicing effortlessly through his skin. It was enough to force him to gather what little strength he had, reaching up with a hand that was more smoke than anything now, wrapping it around Reaper’s wrist although he knew it wouldn’t be enough to stop him. Using everything he had left he squeezed, meeting the hollow eyes with a pleading look, wishing that he could coax his voice to work.

_Please. Please let me go this time._

   There was a momentary silence, and for a second the grip on his cheek seemed to loosen, and he dared to hope that Reaper had understood, that he was letting him go. He should have known better. Between one blink and the next, the skull mask disappeared, allowing him to see the ruined features that lay beneath, crimson eyes bearing into his as Reaper grinned down at him.

“Do you really want to die here, Jackie?” Jack flinched at the nickname, still able to remember a time when it had been said with true affection, murmured in his ear, whispered against his skin and always followed by a warm grin and gentle kisses. Now it was mocking. Cruel. What made it worse was that he knew that it wasn’t really a question, he could see it Reaper’s eyes that it didn’t matter how he replied, he wasn’t being given a choice to bow out now. “Are you really going to leave me behind? After everything we’ve been through?” It was a low blow, the question making Jack gasp, tears building in the corner of his eyes that had nothing to do with the pain he was in.

   Yes, oh how he wished that he could say yes to both of those questions, but even beyond the fact that Reaper would never let him go, he knew that he couldn’t. It was the same thing that had eventually stopped him actively seeking a way to die, the same thing that made him long to see Reaper, even as he hated seeing him. He couldn’t leave him behind, couldn’t condemn him to immortality on his own, and he closed his eyes as defeat washed over him. Freedom was just there, so close he could feel it, more and more of his body fading away…

   Slowly he shook his head, feeling rather than hearing the laugh that rolled through Reaper, the world fading away as he felt those sharp claws tearing into what remained of his body, followed by the burning sensation of nanites pouring in through the wounds.

**

  Jack drifted in and out of consciousness as Reaper worked, feeling the burn as his nanites began to rebuild him from the inside out, driving out whatever the drug had been as Reaper’s nanites helped them, whimpers escaping once his throat was repaired. It hurt. It burned, and he wanted to weep as the promise of escape drifted further and further from his grasp.

   Throughout it all he was aware of Reaper holding him, practically cradling in his arms, but he couldn’t even delude himself to seeing it as an embrace, because every time his nanites faltered, there would be a flash of pain, claws rending his skin as more and more were forced into his body. Instead he let his thoughts drift, hoping to find something, anything to distract himself from what was happening, but instead, he found himself flashing back to when Reaper had first brought him back.

_“What have you done to me?” Jack’s body had finally stabilised enough for him to be aware of his surroundings for the first time in days, and he focused on taking in the tiny, dilapidated flat rather than the man occupying the seat beside his bed. Not sure that he could hold himself together if he looked at Gabriel right now, the anguish of not being able to say everything that he had wanted to say dimmed by anger and something worryingly close to hatred because deep down he knew that he was supposed to be dead. And he already had a good idea of why he wasn’t, but he wanted, needed to hear the words._

_“I saved you,” Gabriel replied calmly, as though they were talking about the weather and not perverting the course of nature. “You weren’t supposed to die that easily…and now you won’t.” Jack sucked in a breath, those words enough to confirm his fears, as though he had needed them with the foreign sensation of nanites burning under his skin. He wanted to snarl at Gabriel, curse him for taking him away from that peaceful oblivion. Instead, he slowly rolled his head until he could meet Gabriel’s gaze._

_“Why?” Had it been for love? His memories of those last moments were a little hazy, but he could remember seeing Gabriel in Reaper for the first time in ages. It wouldn’t make what had been done to him better, but it would make it more bearable, at least he hoped, heart pounding in his chest as he stared at Gabriel._

_He was unprepared for the mocking laugh that bubbled up, eyes wide as Gabriel’s head fell back and he laughed long and hard. No. Not Gabriel he realised with a shudder as the other man got himself under control and refocused on him, crimson eyes burning into him. “Why? You want to know why I brought you back?” Jack’s mouth was dry, and he wanted to shake his head, realising that he didn’t want to hear the words, but instead he found himself nodding. Reaper moved then, and the next moment there were claws curled around his cheek in a mockery of the gentle way Gabriel used to stroke his cheek, holding him in place, preventing him from escaping the burning gaze. “I saved you because you’re mine Jack, you’ve always been mine and now…” The claws tightened, breaking the skin and Jack whimpered as he felt the wound immediately knitting itself back together. “Now you’ll always be mine.”_

That conversation had destroyed him more than anything because he had foolishly dared to hope that the fact that Reaper had gone so far to save him meant that on some level he still cared about him. Love might have been part of it once, maybe at the moment that Reaper had realised he was slipping away, but it had been twisted and corrupted by everything that had happened between them, and they had come to this…

*

   Gradually he found himself coming back to himself, finding that he was no longer in Reaper’s arms, but laid out almost gently on the other man’s coat. His body still felt weird, parts of him slowly reforming, and the burning ache of the nanites at work was only just this side of bearable, but he could tell as he sucked in a steadying breath that the worst was over. He was alive. The thought burned, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to bury his dismay. I was so close. Hearing movement, he forced his eyes open again and tilted his head to find that Reaper was sat beside him, gaze fixed on some distant point, looking almost human for once and Jack sighed. Buried far beneath the dismay, the regret at losing his freedom there was relief because he knew that if he had gone, then Reaper would have been all alone.

“You’re back.” It wasn’t a question, and Reaper still wasn’t looking at him, but Jack nodded all the same before letting his head fall back against the ground.

“Why? Why have you been helping them?” He asked softly, knowing that Reaper would have already worked out where he had been, and he was surprised to feel the other man flinch at the question, and he frowned, staring up at Reaper, before nudging him with his toe. “You were seeking a way to die, weren’t you?” Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had realised that Reaper had known exactly what they were doing with the samples that he had provided, and his suspicion was confirmed when Reaper met his gaze for a moment before skittering away. It was something that Gabriel had always done when Jack had caught him out, and for a dizzying moment, he let himself get caught up in the action. In the sign that Gabriel was still in there, but then he frowned. “Why? Why are you seeking a way to die, if you won’t even let me die?”

   Terror gripped him even as he voiced that question. Was that going to be his final punishment? Gabriel’s ultimate revenge against him, leaving him to live out this unwanted immortality alone? As quickly as the terror came it subsided because he knew the moment Reaper was gone, his nanites would fail, and he would follow. Looking up again he found Reaper watching him with detached amusement. “Don’t worry Jack, I’m not leaving you alone.” It wasn’t intended to be comforting, and Jack shivered, catching the double meaning, the fact that there was no escape for him one way or another and he had to look away. “As to why.” Jack looked back, startled that he was going to get an answer, finding Reaper staring down at his hands. “I am tired of this life Jack. Tired of existing. I want it to end…”

“Then…” _Why won’t you let me have that release…?_

   Pain erupted in the back of his head as Jack found himself pinned against the wall, claws digging painfully into his throat, Reaper’s face inches from his. “Because you belong to me Jack,” Reaper growled, telling him that he must have voiced that thought aloud and he swallowed, biting back a cry as for a split second it felt like his body was on fire once more, the nanites lashing out at him in response to Reaper’s anger. It was a sensation that he had experienced too many times before, especially at the start when he had fought tooth and nail against this existence, and he gritted his teeth, riding it out. Although he couldn’t stop the tears that ran down his cheeks or the gasp of relief that slipped free when the pain vanished, and he slumped, boneless in Reaper’s grasp. “You’re mine until the end.”

 _Stay with me, forever_ , Gabe had whispered those words in his ear the day the Omnic Crisis had been declared over, and naively, Jack had nodded, promising something that they’d both known wasn’t possible. How far they had fallen, he thought bitterly, feeling Reaper’s claws biting into the tender flesh of his neck, forcing his attention back to the present. “One day we’ll be free Jack, but only if we can go together. Remember that.” Numbly Jack nodded, knowing that there was no other choice, that there was no other path for him as long as Reaper was alive. A terrible smile appeared on Reaper’s face before he leant in and claimed Jack’s lips in a rough kiss, it was full of teeth and a fire born of anger rather than love, and when they parted Jack could taste blood on his lips and feel the tingle of the nanites rushing to repair the latest damage. “Mine. Forever.”

  Reaper was staring at him he realised belatedly, the look in his eyes demanding a response, his nanites beginning to burn when he hesitated and Jack slumped, defeated, unable to hold the crimson gaze as he whispered his agreement.

“Always.”

It was a bitter promise.


End file.
